


A Smile That Smells of Home

by DracoMaleficium



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Book 2 Spoilers, Canon Compliant, Drabble, Gen, Post-Book Two: Spirits, Reunions, sads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-18
Updated: 2013-11-18
Packaged: 2018-01-01 23:36:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1049915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DracoMaleficium/pseuds/DracoMaleficium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Spirit Portal is open. The path is clear. And there is someone Zuko needs to see.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Smile That Smells of Home

**Author's Note:**

> Come on, we're all thinking it...

"Go on.” Korra smiles at him, stepping to the side. “I’m sure he’s waiting for you.”

Zuko takes a deep breath and squares his shoulders. Signals for the concerned guards to stay put. Finds a reassuring smile for his daughter. She’s worried, but she returns it nonetheless with a last squeeze to his shoulder.

“We’ll be waiting right here, Dad,” she whispers. “Don’t do anything too stupid. And,” her voice catches a little, “give him our love.”

She wants to go too, he knows it. But she also recognizes that this, this first time, is something he needs to do on his own, and she lets him. 

He loves his daughter so very much.

“I will. Next time, you’ll give it yourself,” he says through the cloying thickness in his throat, patting her hand.

Then, Zuko looks ahead, at the blinding beam of the portal, and takes his first step towards it. 

And another, and another, until the light is right in front of him, _in_ him, _through_ him, behind him, and his old skin feels young and strong again where it’s touched by the new, lighter air of the world he’s stepped into, air that is fresh, and fragrant, smelling of –

Tea.

Zuko opens his eyes.

He is there, looking just as Zuko remembers – healthy, content, reassuring – and he is opening his arms for him with a smile that reaches out from across the years, a smile beaming with pride, quiet joy, love. _Home_.

“Nephew.”

Zuko returns the smile, though his is cracking around the edges even as he has to blink the wetness out of his eyes. He takes a step forward.

“Hello, Uncle.”


End file.
